Kitsap County parks department, faced with budget cuts, lays off three

The Kitsap County Parks Department has laid off three employees in anticipation of a decrease in revenue stemming from closures in response to COVID-19.

Meantime, Kitsap County is projecting a $10 million shortfall in its general fund from a hit to sales-tax revenues during the pandemic, paving the way for a broader hiring freeze across county departments. 

Kitsap County’s sales tax numbers for March were not good, said Amber D’Amato, administrative services director. Businesses began to curtail their operations mid-month as Gov. Jay Inslee issued a stay-at-home order for non-essential workers.  

April’s numbers are expected to be worse — many businesses were closed the entire month. Kitsap County moved into Phase 2 of reopening in late May. Kitsap County is projecting a $10 million shortfall in the general fund, D’Amato said. County departments have been instructed to make reductions in their operating budgets as a result.

On Monday, county staff are putting a resolution before Kitsap county commissioners to freeze hiring on vacant positions in the county. 

“That will help get us part of the way,” D’Amato said.

County officials will also recommend the departments cut a total of 5% of their operating budget, which can include the frozen vacancies. D’Amato said freezing vacancies will help make cuts as painless as possible, without affecting other existing county employees.

With park facilities closed for weeks, Kitsap County's parks department lost revenue in the form of facility rentals, said Jim Dunwiddie, county parks director. He is also expecting to have to cut the department's operating budget by about $400,000, he said.

The positions lost were parks planner, events coordinator and fiscal technician. The hours for an administrative assistant were also reduced. Position vacancies, including many maintenance positions, have been frozen. About 20% of positions in the parks department are being affected, Dunwiddie said.

Besides the layoffs, other cuts have been made to the parks department’s operations. Some seasonal park openings have been delayed — Horseshoe Lake park typically is open April through September. This year the park didn’t open until Memorial Day weekend and will be open just on weekends and holidays rather than seven days a week.

The department also planned to open the newly acquired Square Lake park this year, but its opening has been deferred to 2021. Dunwiddie said it didn’t make sense to add something new this year when the department already has to cut in other areas.

The parks department is also looking into moving athletic activities into one location so only one area will need to be maintained rather than multiple. Dunwiddie said parks could spend around $30,000 just to irrigate grass at one location, so only maintaining one athletic area instead of several would save money. A final decision about that has yet to be made.

Dunwiddie says the department is working to figure out what its responsibility will be as a facility provider as larger groups can begin using the facilities again. It will also be challenging to know how to budget for what’s ahead during the phased reopening and new cleaning standards.

“If they say public restrooms have to be cleaned six times a day that’s going to put strain on the budget,” Dunwiddie said.